By Reese Fant Contrubuting Writer / Greenville News
September 13th 2008

Marty Ward came into Saturday night's Championship races so far ahead in points he didn't have to put on a driving suit to be crowned Champion.    

Instead, he came to Greenville-Pickens Speedway determined to win one of the Twin 50 Late Model Stock main events, and it took him only four laps to make his way to the point en route to sweeping the events.

For the next 46 laps, through several cautions and restarts, Ward was uncatchable. "I really came wanting to win on of the races, and now I find myself waiting for the second one to start. I want to win it, too. It's a heck of a thing when somebody gets greedy, isn't it?" Ward said.

While Ward was cruising around just too fast to catch, things were furious behind him. David Roberts, the track champion last year, was sidelined with a broken spark plug.

R.A. Brown, visiting the track from his home in Irmo to get a handle on things before the UARA race here in two weeks, finished second, and Coleman Pressley was third. Kenneth Headen, who was just a few points behind Roberts coming into the program, finished fourth and Randy Hawkins was fifth.

Jeremy Burns was sixth, followed by Ralph Carnes, Amanda Lynch, Dan Van Saun, and Bob Mangum.

In the second 50-lapper, Ward showed more of the same form he has brought to every twin bill at GPS this season. This time, due to a five-car inversion, it took Ward nine laps to get to the front. "I knew there were several cars that had fresher tires than I did, due to trouble in the first race, and I figured I needed to get me a cushion just in case they started closing up on me. I was afraid if one got by, I wasn't sure I could get back by. So I was glad that didn't happen, Ward said.

This was Ward's fifth championship, tying him with Jeff Hawkins, and just one behind all-time champion Donnie Bishop. "This was my fifth, but it was the first for my sponsor, Tommy Norris. We talked about going for the title during the winter. He wanted to run for the title and I didn't. We decided to just run to win, and let the points fall where they may, and we won and took the title."

Anthony Anders was second, with John Lewis Hightower was third. Randy Hawkins was fourth and David Roberts finished fifth.

Randy Ballew took the win in the Sportsman race, with Jamie Altop in second Tim Lollis was third, and locked up the division championship. Robin Darnell was fourth and Robert Horton was fifth.

Scott Mann took the checkered flag in the second Charger main, and immediately said, "This may have put me out of racing, because usually the champion is moved up, and if I'm promoted to Sportsman, I can't afford the tire bill each week. But I've tried for years to win a title, and I finally have one. One year I was right at the front, but I went on vacation and missed a race. I'm just happy to win."

Tyler Stephens was second to Mann, with Mike Hughes third, Les Mahaffey fourth and Andy Norris fifth.

James Johnson won the first Charger main, and was the hard charger in the process, with Mike Mote taking second. Michael Mote was third, and Tim Crowe took fourth. Ricky Stephens was fifth.

Charlie Trammell won the first Renegade main event, and Dale Walker, who finished second, locked up the division championship. Percy Proctor was third, with Scott Smith fourth and Freddy Hale, Jr., fifth.

Matt Hale won the second Renegade main, with David Cepek coming all the way up from the 12th starting position to take second. Bobby Butler was third, followed by Monica Blount who was the Hard Charger of the race. Jimmy Mullinax took fifth.

In the Fan's Most Popular Driver, David Roberts was the winner in the Late Model Stock division, with Chris Chastain the winner in Sportsman. Zach Pressley won in Chargers and Monica Blount was the winner in Renegades.

Results for Greenville Pickens Speedway -			September 13, 2008
Late Model Stock
			Lap Time		Avg. Lap Speed
	Pole Position	David Roberts	20.621		87.290
1.	Marty Ward	Marietta , SC
2.	R. A. Brown	Irmo , SC
3.	Coleman Pressley	Asheville , NC
4.	Kenneth Headen	Piedmont , SC
5.	Randy Hawkins	Travelers Rest, SC
6.	Jeremy Burns	Simpsonville , SC
7.	Ralph Carnes	Anderson , SC
8.	Amanda Lynch	Greenville , SC
9.	Dan Van Saun	Hendersonville , NC
10.	Blair Addis	Greenville , SC
11.	Bob Magnum	Powdersville , SC
12.	Anthony Cordell	Greenville , SC
13.	Jody McDonald	Greenville , SC
14.	Grant McGinnis	Chesnee , SC
15.	Dale Dove	Simpsonville , SC
16.	Eddie Hawkins	Simpsonville , SC
17.	Chris Black	Fountain Inn , SC
18.	Jackie Williams	Greenville , SC
19.	John Lewis Hightower	Travelers Rest, SC
20.	David Roberts	Simpsonville , SC
21.	Anthony Anders	Greenville , SC
22.	Michael Kriz	Duncan , SC
23.	Jeff Pittman	Travelers Rest, SC
24.	Randy McCombs	Greenville , SC
25.	Kevin Fuller	Piedmont , SC
Race 2
1.	Marty Ward	Marietta , SC
2.	Anthony Anders	Greenville , SC
3.	John Lewis Hightower	Travelers Rest, SC
4.	Randy Hawkins	Travelers Rest, SC
5.	David Roberts	Simpsonville , SC
6.	R. A. Brown	Irmo , SC
7.	Coleman Pressley	Asheville , NC
8.	Ralph Carnes	Anderson , SC
9.	Jeremy Burns	Simpsonville , SC
10.	Blair Addis	Greenville , SC
11.	Bob Magnum	Powdersville , SC
12.	Amanda Lynch	Greenville , SC
13.	Anthony Cordell	Greenville , SC
14.	Eddie Hawkins	Simpsonville , SC
15.	Chris Black	Fountain Inn , SC
16.	Dale Dove	Simpsonville , SC
17.	Jackie Williams	Greenville , SC
18.	Kenneth Headen	Piedmont , SC
19.	Jody McDonald	Greenville , SC
20.	Grant McGinnis	Chesnee , SC
21.	Dan Van Saun	Hendersonville , NC
22.	Jeff Pittman	Travelers Rest, SC
23.	Randy McCombs	Greenville , SC
24.	Michael Kriz	Duncan , SC
25.	Kevin Fuller	Piedmont , SC

Sportsman
1.	Randy Ballew	Easley , SC
2.	Jamie Altop	Clemson , SC
3.	Tim Lollis	Greenville , SC
4.	Robin Darnell	Greenville , SC
5.	Robert Horton	Greenville , SC
6.	Chuckie Greer	Greer , SC
7.	Ryan Dombrosky	Easley , SC
8.	Bob Root	Easley , SC
9.	Mike Adams	Seneca , SC
10.	Rick Kelley	Greenville , SC
11.	Chris Chastain	Pelzer , SC
12.	Chris Meinders	Liberty , SC
13.	Tony Bridgeman

Charger 1
1.	James Johnson	Greenville , SC	*** Hardcharger ***
2.	Mike Mote	Easley , SC
3.	Michael Mote	Easley , SC
4.	Tim Crowe	Greenville , SC
5.	Ricky Stephens	Greenville , SC
6.	Fred Phillips
7.	Scott Pittman	Piedmont , SC
8.	Chris Headen	Greenville , SC
9.	Phillip Peters	Pelzer , SC
10.	Eddie Bruton

Charger 2
1.	Scott Mann	Easley , SC
2.	Tyler Stephens	Greenville , SC
3.	Mike Hughes	Greenville , SC
4.	Les Mahaffey	Easley , SC
5.	Andy Norris	Greer , SC
6.	Zachary Pressley	Greenville , SC
7.	Andrew Bell
8.	Brad Scott	Pisgah Forest , NC
9.	Steven Sharpe
10.	Keith Mabery

Renegade 1
1.	Charlie Trammell	Taylors , SC
2.	Dale Walker	Greenville , SC
3.	Percy Proctor	Easley , SC
4.	Scott Smith	Taylors , SC
5.	Freddy Hale, Jr	Greenville , SC
6.	Tony Leslie	Belton , SC
7.	Bradley Mabery	Greenville , SC
8.	Alvin Stokes
9.	Christy Kelly
10.	Jackie Manley	Greenville , SC
11.	Zach Dillon

Renegade 2
1.	Matt Hale	Greenville , SC
2.	David Cepek	Easley , SC
3.	Bobby Butler	Easley , SC
4.	Monica Blount	Easley , SC	*** Hardcharger ***
5.	Jimmy Mullinax	Greenville , SC
6.	Richard Davenport	West Union , SC
7.	Jeremy Drummond	Greenville , SC
8.	Benny Taylor	Travelers Rest, SC
9.	Dale Stancil	Easley , SC
10.	Jim Skinner	Easley , SC
11.	Corey Chastain	Greenville , SC
12.	Gerald Padgett